Privacy

This page explains our privacy policy and how we will use and protect any information about you that you give us when you visit our websites. This privacy statement only covers Department of Health (DH) websites. It does not cover all sites that can be linked to from this site, so you should always be aware when you are moving to another site and read the privacy statement on that site.

What information do we collect?

From time to time, you will be asked to submit personal information about yourself
(e.g.name and email address) in order to receive or use services on our website.
Such services include bulletins, email updates, website feedback. By entering
your details in the fields requested you enable the Department of Health and its
service providers to provide you with the services you select.

Any information you provide to the Department of Health will only be used by us, our agents and service providers and will not be disclosed unless we are obliged or permitted to by law to do so. If you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable content to any DH website or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on DH websites, we may use whatever information is available to us, about you, to stop such behaviour. We will hold your personal information on our systems for as long as you use the service you have requested, and remove it in the event that the purpose has been met or when you no longer wish to continue your subscription.

The Data Protection Act

Under the Data Protection Act, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. We use leading technologies and encryption software to safeguard your data, and keep strict security standards to prevent any unauthorised access to it.

Changes to our policy

If our privacy policy changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing the page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we will share it with other parties. The Department of Health’s websites contain links to and from websites of government departments and other organisations. This privacy policy applies only to DH websites.

Following a link to another website

When you go to another website, read the privacy policy on that website if you want to know what it does with your information. DH does not pass on any of your personal information to other websites.

Following a link to DH from another website

When you come to the Department of Health’s websites from another website, DH
may get personal information about you from the other website. You should read
the privacy policy of websites you visit that link you to DH if you want to know
about this. These policies will explain how they collect and use your personal
information, and whether they pass this on to websites they link you to.

Cookies

DH websites use small data files stored on your computer called ‘cookies’. Most websites do this. They help us improve the website experience for you. Find out what we use them for, and how to control their use on our cookies page.

Social networking websites

The Department of Health’s websites have buttons at the bottom of website pages so you can use social networking websites (eg Facebook and Twitter) with the DH website. These websites are not controlled by DH. By using these buttons you accept the privacy policies of these websites.

FacebookFacebook is a social networking website that has millions of users worldwide.
You register and create a profile. You can then add friends to your profile
and exchange information with your friends. Facebook also allows people to
start groups and fan pages as well as bookmarking other web pages. Go
to Facebook ( Read the Facebook privacy policy )

TwitterTwitter is a social networking service. Users send short updates, or mini-blogs
(known as tweets), that are no more than 140 characters long. You can collect
followers and follow other users. You can also tag words, and search tags to find out what other people are talking about. Go to Twitter ( Read the Twitter privacy policy )

LinkedInA social networking service mainly used by people to stay in touch. LinkedIn
is used to exchange information, ideas and opportunities, stay informed about
your contacts and industry, find the people & knowledge you need to achieve
your goals, and control your professional identity online Go
to LinkedIn ( Read the LinkedIN privacy policy )

Social bookmarking

Social bookmarks are a way of saving links to web pages that interest you, and sharing those links with other people.

Social bookmarking websites are free to use, but you will need to register with them to start bookmarking.

To use a social bookmarking website, you need to:

register with a social bookmarking website

find a web page you like

save the link to the social bookmarking website, which stores it

add words or ‘tags’ to the link to explain what the page is about

You can then visit the social bookmarking website whenever and from wherever
you want, and view the bookmarked links you have saved or shared. You will also
be able to look at other people’s bookmarks and comments, and they will be able
to view yours. Social bookmarking websites all work in different ways and you
may prefer to use one or many. It’s worth having a look at the different websites
before you decide which one you want to use. You can register with as many as
you like. The social media and social bookmarking services that DH links to
are third party websites. DH does not have any control over the way that these
websites use your data. You should read their respective privacy policies carefully
to find out what happens to any data that these services collect when you use
them.

DeliciousDelicious is a social bookmarking service that allows you to discover, store and share web pages you find interesting. Users need to tag their bookmarks with relevant words, so that other people looking for similar information can find them. Go to Delicious
( Read the Delicious privacy policy )

RedditReddit is a social news service. This means it allows you to add bookmarks to news stories to a social website. Users can vote whether they like or dislike
a link, and join in discussions about different bookmarks. Go to Reddit ( Read the Reddit privacy policy )